Sarah Gesiriech serves as the U.S. Government Special Advisor on Children at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Sarah has worked in the field of child and family protection for 25 years in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as executive director for the Faith to Action Initiative. From 2001-2003, Sarah was a member of the White House Domestic Policy Council informing child protection policy and program decisions. As the education adviser to the Office of the First Lady at the U.S. Department of Education, she acted as senior advisor and primary liaison for domestic and international education policy issues and events. She was also director of the Department of Education's International Affairs Office. Prior to that, she served at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, assisting the secretary in policy development for child and family services, youth development, and trafficking in persons. Sarah also worked on Capitol Hill as a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Charles Grassley on child welfare, health care, and foreign affairs.